11-25 Sockers get honor (LH READ)

Published 9:00 pm, Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Fourteen months after the West Texas United Sockers were born, the team has been named the Premier Development League's Rookie Franchise of the Year.

The team was honored as the United Soccer League officially wrapped up the 2009 season at the organization's Hall of Fame and Awards Dinner last Friday.

In addition to the on-field success that included a berth in the PDL playoffs, the Sockers averaged 2,782 fans per game, finishing second in attendance among 68 PDL clubs.

West Texas United competes in the PDL, the highest level of amateur soccer in the USL. The league's 68 teams are divided into four conferences (eight divisions) with clubs coast to coast in the United States and Canada.

The Sockers were one of nine first-year franchises in the PDL.

West Texas United went 8-5-3 last season, reached the PDL playoffs under head coach Jesus Enriquez and made it to the Divisional Championship game.

In 2010, the club again will compete in an the all-Texas, six-team Mid-South Division. Austin, which has a USL First Division (professional) team, will no longer field a PDL club.